Smooth-band conveyer or elevator



J. L. LEMOINE.

SMOOTH BAND CONVEYER OR ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.28, 1919.

1 342,684. Patented June 8, 1920.

J'ULES LOUIS LEMOINE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

SMOOTH-BAND CONVEYER 0R ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented June 8, 1920.

Application filed January 28, 1919. Serial No. 273,613.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULns LOUIS LE- MOINE, citizen of the French Republic, and resident of 14 Rue Greuze, Paris, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Smooth-Band Oonveyers or Elevators, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

Oonveyers comprising a smooth band and lateral chains driven at the same speed as the smooth band are old. In such conveyers, the material conveyed thereon is held in place on the smooth band by the two lateral chains, each of which prevents the displacement of the material in a transverse direction relative to the band, while crossbars connecting the two chains prevent the material from rolling or slipping down on the smooth band.

In these conveyers the lateral chains are mounted on sprockets carried by axes different from the axes of the drums over which passes the smooth "band so that the latter and the chains move independently of each other. These conveyers involve the inconvenience that the space in front of the smooth band is encumbered by the return portion of the chains and their sprockets or drums. Consequently it is impossible to dump the material direct onto the conveyer, a hopper being necessary which must be placed between the chains. As a result thereof it is necessary to give to the chains a slack and to support the return portion by a supplementary drum so as to provide suflicient space between the two portions of the chains for the installation of the hopper. These inconveniences and complications are especially disturbing, when the conveyer is steeply inclined.

The present invention has for its object to simplify the existing conveyers and to avoid the inconveniences above indicated. The invention more particularly consists in mounting the chains on sprockets carried by the same axes on which are also mounted the drums for moving the smooth bands, the chains thus being, as it were, concentric with the smooth bands and completely inclosing them.

One form of construction of my invention is shown by way of example on the drawing attached, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation,

Fig. 3is an example of transmission of movement,

Fig. 4: is a ground plan of a detail,

Fig. 5 is a partial elevation, Fig. 6 a partial diagrammatic elevation showing a modification, Fig. 7 illustrating the descendin movement.

My apparatus comprises, like the known smooth band elevators, two drums a and a of which the bearings are fixed to a frame 7), and an endless band 0. The drum a is rotated; and rotation is imparted to it in the direction of the arrow by electric or other transmission. The band 0 is supported by the rollers (Z.

On each side of the drums a and a there are loosely mounted two equal sprocket wheels 0 c f f having a diameter which is greater than that of the drums. On these sprocket wheels pass two sprocket chains g and g These two chains pass also over rollers 71,, toothed or not, which rotate idly on their axes mounted on the frame Z).

The sprocket wheels can have different axes from those of the drums.

The band 0 being put in motion by the rotation of the drum a, the chains 9 and 9 must move parallel to the band and with the same speed.

These chains form for the band independent lateral ramps. The rotation of the drum a and of the sprocket wheels 6 and P can be obtained as shown in Fig. 3.

On a live shaft K, the sprocket wheels Z, Z and m are keyed. The sprocket wheels Z Z drive by means of the chains the sprocket wheels n a rigidly connected to the wheels 6 and e on which the ramps engage (the system of wheels at, 6, a 6 are loose on the shaft 0 of the drum).

The, sprocket wheel m drives by a sprocket chain the sprocket wheel 10 keyed to the shaft 0.

This arrangement thus permits, by vary ing the diameter of the sprocket wheels, of obtaining for the endless band 0 and for the ramps 9 and all the. relative linear speeds one can desire.

In the present case these linear speeds are equal.

The two chains 9 and g are connected to one another and at suitable intervals by the bars 2' which connect with the links of the said chains by known means such for example as shown in Fig. 4;. These bars travel parallel to and at the same speed as the band.

The material to be elevated, after having been placed on the bottom of the band is kept on it between the two ramps formed of the chains and two successive bars, and

is thus raised by the band being prevented from either slipping or rolling down or escaping laterally.

The chains and the conveying bars can be replaced the one by bands, the other by nonrigid bands.

As shown in partial elevation in Fig.5, the cross piece 2' which connects the two mobile ramps 9 and 9 can be constructed in the form of blades having variable inclination following the angle (a) of their fixation. This fixation can be obtained for example by means of the connecting rods 2' jointed at one end to the blade and at the other to a bolt connecting the links of the chain.

Fig. 6 shows in partial diagrammatic elevation another modification of the invention.

In this example the ramps 6 and b are in the plane of the band 0, the sprocket wheels on which the ramps engage have the same diameter as the drum and can be rigid with it. The cross pieces can then be made of bent bars fixed by their ends to certain links of the ramps.

in the new case, the blades and the connect- 7 ing rods will be fitted above and not below the ramps.

In their descending movement (Fig. 7 the ramp 6 can be, on a part of the path, separated from the smooth band 0 by the guiding rollers s andt in such a manner that a scraper 70 can be arranged at a suitable point for the cleaning of the band.

WVhat I claim is 1. Ina conveyer the combination with a smooth endless band, of drums for moving said band, axes on which said drums are mounted, sprockets mounted on said axes, endless chains engaged by'said sprockets and forming lateral ramps. for said endless band, and members for connecting said chains, the latter being soarranged as to permit direct loading of the material to be conveyed onto the said endless band.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 including guiding rollers mounted so as to separate the chains from the endless band and a scraper provided at that place in the path of the descending band for cleaning the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 7 specification.

JULES LOUIS LEMOINE. 

